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Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the Centre is using delimitation of constituencies and the Women's Reservation Bill as "political tools" instead of addressing them as separate national issues.
Addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat on Monday, the Chief Minister demanded a detailed debate in Parliament and all State Assemblies on delimitation. He also called for the constitution of an expert committee and consultations with all political parties before any decision is taken. Proposing a "Hybrid Model" for restructuring constituencies, the Chief Minister said that of the 272 additional Lok Sabha seats proposed, 136 should be allocated on a pro-rata basis, while the remaining 136 should be distributed based on Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), giving priority to economically contributing states. He stressed that "numbers, not percentages," should guide the delimitation process, cautioning that disproportionate allocation could weaken the federal structure. The Chief Minister questioned why the Centre convened a special session of Parliament to take up both delimitation and the Women's Reservation Bill simultaneously. He alleged that the move was aimed at portraying opposition parties as being against women's reservation. Revanth Reddy reiterated that the Congress supports women's reservation but insisted it should be implemented based on the 2026 Census rather than the 2011 Census. He noted that if aligned with the 2026 Census, reservations could be implemented in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and upcoming Assembly polls. He recalled that the Women's Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, but did not become law earlier due to a lack of support. He also accused the BJP of failing to implement the law despite passing it, and alleged that the party treats women as "second-grade citizens." The Chief Minister expressed concern that a 50% increase in seats based solely on population would significantly benefit northern states, reducing the political weight of southern states. He warned that such a move would widen the gap in representation and undermine states contributing significantly to the economy. Revanth Reddy announced that he would write to the Chief Ministers of southern states, as well as smaller states like Punjab and Delhi, to build a united front against what he described as discriminatory delimitation. In a strong remark, he said Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar would lose political relevance if delimitation is carried out purely on a population basis, stating they would be reduced to "standing outside the Prime Minister's office." He emphasised that delimitation must follow a democratic process, including debates in State Assemblies and final approval in Parliament. He suggested completing the process by March 2028 and cautioned the Centre against rushing decisions that could deepen regional divisions. He also pointed out that previous delimitation exercises did not rely solely on population, especially in northeastern states and Union Territories, where representation was ensured through special considerations. Concluding, the Chief Minister warned that hasty decisions on such critical issues could harm national unity and the balance of federalism. (ANI)
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